Mortens Kro

Mortens Kro Aalborg Reviews

Better behave some of the guest are carrying guns to this placeSep 19, 2014

We had decided to have dinner at Mortens Kro which is located in the center of Aalborg the name of the street indicates there used to be a small creek running along the street - but there is no sign of water here - instead the buildings here are fairly new and they make a bit of a contrast to this part of the town which is dominated by older buildings.

The menu is fairly simple with a few signature dishes or a set menu which can be from 3 to 7 dishes. We decide to go for the set menu but skipping the cheese part of it so we end up with the six other courses of the menu. The six courses consist of 3 starters and 2 mains of which one of them are more like an additional start and finally finishing off with a dessert. The price start from 498 DKK for three courses (about 66 Euros) each additional dish adds another 100 DKK (or about 13 Euros). The food can be accompanied by a wine menu at about the same price.

The meal is started with a single snack before the first dish arrives. The food seems to come out somewhat slowly from the kitchen at the beginning of the meal but at least something is leaving the kitchen at somewhat of a snail’s pace. Fortunately the waiter who is pouring the wine is very generous with the size of the glasses compared to most places with a wine menu so at least there is something in the wine glass while we are waiting for the food to arrive.

Between the second and third course more guest arrive at the table next to us comes a couple of men with an earpiece looking very serious and not like people who are out to enjoy a good meal for a night. At the same time a group of four guests arrive and sit to the other side of us. There are two women and two men and they look sort of familiar - I am sure I know both one of the men and one of the women in the group. They sit down but unlike the rest of the people in the restaurant they seem very occupied with a laptop on the table all during the meal and the woman is continuously reading what the man who looks familiar is typing. The woman is Helle Thorning who is the current prime minister of Denmark and the man is her head spin-doctor and they are probably in the middle of putting the finishing touch on the speech for the party congress which is held in the town during this weekend.

The fact the PM is arrive slows down the service even more - the kitchen and waiters are clearly giving priority to this party and let the other guest wait for their food which is unacceptable considering the reputation and price of the restaurant - you expect the service to match the price of the menu. At least the quality of what little food which is leaving the kitchen is still up to the expected standards. Fortunately the PMs party isn’t going for the full menu but just start out with champagne followed by lobster and a bottle of white wine and a prime rib with another bottle of red wine to keep it company.

We are not getting much food while the PM is in the house but when she finally leaves the service speed up again to a reasonable pace and we manage to finish our meal a bit later than expected. When the PM is leaving so is the other table next to us who was the PMs security detail.

The food might be deserving of the full five stars - but the slow service pull down the overall impression of the place.

Well… almost – unfortunately we were at different table next to the Prime Minister.

We have been schedule to be at this restaurant at certain time since our holiday was pre-book and some was pre-paid far in advanced. We actually do not know if the Prime Minister would dine here as well, however since this gourmet restaurant is the best in town, no wonder who is who will absolutely visit this place if come to Aalborg.

We arrived at 8pm and decided to have a full menu offered (sixth courses). Not much snack serve before our first course which was a bit of disappointment I supposed since I get use to plenty of snacks before the first meal. On the other hand, it was probably good for the waist line since I already gain 3.5kg for one week eat gourmet food every day.

Anyway, the first course was okay, Crystallised and lightly smoked cod served with baked beetroots, herb cream, beetroot chips, salads, horseradish and blackberries. We feel the food was not the best, but after that, the food and the taste build up and get better and better. I especially love the Foamy lobster-lentil soup flavoured with tomato and thyme, served with a mousse of smoked aubergine, roasted scallops, corn, dried tomatoes and small truffle croutons. It was very delicious, tasty and good enough quantity to actually appreciate the food.

The third course was delicate fish which has a very smooth texture and good taste as well.

It probably duck hunting season in Denmark since we get duck everywhere in the country during our one week gourmet holiday, since next course was duck meat again. I was not complaining, I love duck and this time the meat was really tender - Wild duck breast, served on butter-pastry with a compote of fresh figs poached in a Pernod-port wine glaze with mushrooms of the season on the side.

I skip the flowers since I had bad experience ate flowers 2 years ago – where I was hospitalise straight away after eat at the gourmet restaurant which served many flowers on it (related or not – I am still traumatised with the experience).

After this, our food was completely stop and we did not get anything and we start wondering what happened? It appears the restaurant was busy served the Prime Minister first and all dinner was on halt.

The restaurant gives all diner frozen mojito. Not sure how long until our next meal arrive but it was quite a while and I was kind of full by that time. Finally our main meal arrive – it was venison marinated in olive oil, dried pine needles and fresh juniper, served with a strudel bag with a compote of sea buckthorn and quince, broth sauce and glazed fresh lingonberries.

Lastly we have our dessert which is really good as well.

I love the food albeit the slow service when they serve the Prime Minister first instead of us, but who am I to complain?

And this event remind me to dress up properly from now on –since I have been really slacking after travel all the time.

This looks like the most interesting set of food photos among your hundreds of yummy food photo shoots. Not to mention two other items - 1) the prime minister dining there and 2) the painting with a story :D